Wrap for a bottle or other product

ABSTRACT

A wrap for a bottle or other product includes a pair of T-shaped panels coupled together to define a bottle-receiving pocket and a collar. Trim panels are coupled to the T-shaped panels to define at least one channel that extends around the collar and receives a tie. Tightening the tie gathers the collar together to close the pocket.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to packaging and more specifically to a wrap for a bottle or other product.

When items are given as gifts, it is customary to wrap or package the gift in an aesthetically pleasing way. Wrapping paper, ribbons, and bows are all commonly applied to items that come in boxes or other regularly-shaped articles to provide a pleasing appearance. Gift bags are also known and are typically made from glued and folded paper- or cardboard-based materials. Gift bags are usually foldable into a flat configuration and often include carrying handles. Gift items can be placed into the gift bags and, in some instances, sheets of tissue paper are gathered together and positioned within the opening of the gift bag to thereby obscure the gift contents from view until the tissue paper is removed, and also to add to the aesthetic appearance.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In some embodiments, the invention provides a wrap for a bottle including a compliant material formed into a pocket and a collar. The collar has a width that is greater than a width of the pocket. The pocket defines a bottle-receiving cavity. A tie extends substantially around the collar.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is front view of the bottle wrap of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the bottle wrap of FIG. 1 covering a bottle.

FIG. 3 is a section view taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the bottle wrap illustrating an insulating liner.

Before at least one embodiment of the invention is explained in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or being carried out in various ways.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As illustrated in FIG. 1, a wrap 10 for a bottle or other product includes material formed into a pocket 12 and a tie 14. The pocket 12 defines a cavity that receives the bottle, and the tie 14 helps secure the bottle within the 12.

The pocket 12 can be formed from a pair of matching, substantially T-shaped panels 16 a, 16 b (only panel 16 a is visible in FIG. 1, panel 16 b being hidden directly behind), although a different number of panels (even one) could be used as known by those with skill in the art. The panels 16 a, 16 b are shown with a T-shape, although again a different shape could be used as known by those with skill in the art. The panels 16 a, 16 b are preferably sufficiently compliant as to generally conform to the shape of a bottle placed within the pocket 12, or at least conform to the largest part of the bottle when the tie 14 is tightened, as described subsequently herein. Alternatively, the panels may not conform to the shape of the product, but may be shaped in a manner that is sufficiently large to enclose the product within the pocket. The T-shape panels 16 a, 16 b each include a lower portion that partially defines the pocket 12, and an upper portion defining a collar 24. The collar 24 includes shoulders 20 a, 20 b that extend generally perpendicularly away from the lower portion, and ends 22 a, 22 b.

Referring also to FIG. 2, the T-shape panels 16 a, 16 b are suited to contain a typical wine bottle, for example, which has a long, generally cylindrical bottom portion and a reduced and relatively short neck portion. When a bottle is positioned in the pocket 12, the bottom portion of such a bottle will be substantially contained within the pocket 12. When the tie 14 is tightened, the collar 24 is gathered together around the neck portion of the bottle and provides an aesthetically pleasing, gift-wrapped appearance.

The panels 16 a, 16 b are preferably stitched along a portion of the periphery 18 of the panels 16 a, 16 b, although other means for securing the panels may be used, such as an adhesive, staples, buttons, and snaps. The panels 16 a, 16 b are secured about the pocket 12 and the shoulders 20 a, 20 b. The stitching along the periphery 18 ends approximately where the shoulders 20 a, 20 b each meet the ends 22 a, 22 b of the collar 24. This leaves the ends 22 a, 22 b substantially open between the two panels 16 a, 16 b.

The wrap further includes trim panels 26 a, 26 b, which correspond in number to the number of panels 16 a, 16 b. In the embodiment shown in the Figures, trim panels 26 a, 26 b are each secured to a respective panel 16 a, 16 b. Each trim panel 26 a, 26 b is secured along two vertically spaced, channel-forming lines 28 a, 28 b to a respective one of the panels 16 a, 16 b. These lines preferably denote stitching lines, although again a different means of securing the trim panels to the panels may be used. Each trim panel 26 a, 26 b cooperates with the respective bottle conforming panel 16 a, 16 b to define a channel around the wrap. Channel sections 30 a, 30 b extend between the channel-forming lines 28 a, 28 b and the ends 22 a, 22 b. Each channel section 30 a, 30 b is open at the ends 22 a, 22 b and is sufficiently wide to accommodate the tie 14 extending longitudinally therethrough. In the illustrated embodiment, the channel is not continuous, but includes gaps at each open end 22 a, 22 b between the channel sections 30 a, 30 b. Other constructions may include a substantially continuous channel provided with suitable openings for ends of the tie.

In the illustrated embodiment, upper edges 32 of the trim panels 26 a, 26 b are spaced further from the channel sections 30 a, 30 b than upper edges 34 of the T-shaped panels 16 a, 16 b. The additional material of the trim panels 26 a, 26 b that extends above the upper edges 34 of the T-shaped panels 16 a, 16 b enhances the flower-like and aesthetically appealing appearance of the bottle wrap 10 when the tie is tightened to gather the collar 24 around the neck of the bottle. Although straight edges 32, 34 are illustrated, the edges could also be wavy or saw-toothed in nature, for example, depending upon the desired appearance of the wrap 10.

Referring also to FIG. 3, in the illustrated embodiment, the tie 14 is looped through the channel sections 30 a, 30 b so that the tie 14 extends through the channel section 30 b once, and through the channel section 30 a twice. In this regard the tie 14 crosses over itself inside the channel section 30 a. The tie 14 is looped through the channel sections 30 a, 30 b so that opposite ends 42 a, 42 b of the tie 14 extend through respective ends 22 a, 22 b of the collar 24. When the ends 42 a, 42 b are pulled away from one another, the tie 14 draws the material of the panels 16 a, 16 b and trim panels 26 a, 26 b surrounding the channel sections 30 a, 30 b together, which splays apart the material of the panels 16 a, 16 b and trim panels 26 a, 26 b above the tie to provide the gift-wrapped appearance illustrated in FIG. 2. When tightened around the neck portion of a bottle, for example, the ends 42 a, 42 b may be wrapped around the neck portion and tied into a bow to secure the tie 14.

With reference also to FIG. 4, the bottle wrap 10 may also include an insulating liner 44 that is received by the pocket 12 and which in turn receives the bottle. The insulating liner 44 may generally conform to the shape of the pocket 12, which in the example shown is generally cylindrical in shape, or the liner 44 may take on a generally cylindrical shape when receiving the bottle or other product. The insulating liner 44 may be made of substantially any suitable insulating material, however in one embodiment the insulating liner 44 includes a layer of polypropylene foam surrounded by a polyvinyl chloride outer liner.

The panels 16 a, 16 b and the trim panels 26 a, 26 b may be made of any suitable compliant or pre-formed material. In some embodiments, the panels are formed of a non-woven polypropylene material. In other embodiments the panels may be made of polyester, vinyl plastic, or paper. Furthermore, different materials may be combined in different colors or patters to provide a particular appearance or texture. Similarly, although the illustrated tie 14 is in the form of a ribbon, other materials such as cord, rope, hook and loop fastener, or yarn may also be used, depending upon the individual design. 

1. A wrap for a bottle comprising: a compliant material formed into a pocket and a collar, the collar having a width greater than a width of the pocket, the pocket defining bottle-receiving cavity; and a tie extending substantially around the collar.
 2. The wrap of claim 1, wherein the tie extends through a channel formed of the compliant material.
 3. The wrap of claim 1, wherein the tie has at least one loose end.
 4. The wrap of claim 1, wherein the collar extends around the bottle receiving cavity, the collar located vertically substantially where a neck of a bottle in the cavity would be.
 5. The wrap of claim 1, wherein the compliant material includes a T-shaped panel having a lower portion that defines the cavity and a top portion that defines the collar.
 6. The wrap of claim 5, wherein the compliant material includes a trim panel coupled to the T-shaped panel, and wherein the trim panel and the T-shaped panel cooperate to define a channel through which the tie extends.
 7. The wrap of claim 1, further comprising an insulating liner received by the cavity.
 8. A wrap for a bottle comprising: a bottle-conforming section and a neck section, the bottle-conforming section sized to receive substantially all of a bottle; and a tie secured to the neck section and arranged to pinch the neck section.
 9. The wrap of claim 8, wherein the neck section includes first and second panels of compliant material joined together, and wherein each panel has a channel section through which the tie extends.
 10. The wrap of claim 9, wherein the tie extends once through the first channel and twice through the second channel, the tie crossing over itself within the second channel.
 11. The wrap of claim 8, wherein the bottle-conforming section and the neck section are integral and formed of first and second T-shaped panels, wherein first and second channel sections are defined between the first and second T-shaped panels and first and second trim panels, the first and second trim panels coupled to a respective one of the first and second T-shaped panels, and wherein the tie extends through the first and second channel sections.
 12. The wrap of claim 11, wherein the T-shaped panels and the trim panels each include upper edges that are spaced from the first and second channel sections, and wherein the upper edges of the trim panels are spaced further from the first and second channels than the upper edges of the T-shaped panels.
 13. The wrap of claim 8, further comprising an insulating liner received by the bottle-conforming section and sized to receive at least a portion of the bottle.
 14. A wrap for a bottle comprising: a pair of T-shaped panels of compliant material, the panels secured together to define a pocket therebetween; a pair of trim panels, each trim panel secured to a T-shaped panel so that a channel section is formed between each T-shaped panel and trim panel; and a tie extending through the channel sections, the tie having at least one loose end exposed outside of the channel sections.
 15. The wrap of claim 14 further comprising insulation within the bottle receiving pocket.
 16. The wrap of claim 14, wherein the T-shaped panels define an opening to the pocket, and wherein movement of the loose end of the tie relative to the trim panels draws the trim panels and at least a portion of the T-shaped panels together to substantially close the opening.
 17. The wrap of claim 14, wherein the T-shaped panels and the trim panels each include upper edges spaced from the channels.
 18. The wrap of claim 17, wherein the upper edges of the flat fabric panels are spaced further from the channels than the upper edges of the T-shaped fabric panels.
 19. The wrap of claim 14, wherein the tie extends across a gap defined between the channel sections. 